A common device for towing trailers uses a ball which is mounted on the bumper or draw bar of a vehicle. The trailer has a socket adapted to fit over the ball thereby coupling the vehicle to the trailer. Typically, the socket portion is on the trailer tongue. Normally, the trailer provides an adjustable coupling as part of the tongue so that after the socket is slipped over the ball, the coupling is closed to secure the socket to the ball. The ball and socket coupling then allows movement of the trailer with respect to the vehicle as typically occurs during towing.
The size of these ball and socket connections are usually standardized and measured or specified in terms of trailer ball diameter. However, trailer ball diameters are not always the same size. For example, there can be a number of different diameters which an individual might be required to use for towing various trailers. Typical diameters of trailer balls are, for example, 17/8 inches, 2 inches, 21/4 inches, and 2 5/16 inches.
Often a user may leave a trailer ball on his bumper for a long period of time and forget the particular size and possibly be inconvenienced or stranded when a trailer needs to be towed which is of a size that doesn't fit the particular trailer ball. One solution which is inefficient, time consuming, and bothersome is to keep a large wrench in the trunk or other storage compartment of the vehicle and use the wrench to completely remove the trailer ball from the bumper so that the ball of the proper size may be installed on the bumper. This process may soil the user and/or clothes with rust, dirt, grease, and the like in order to change the ball in poor weather conditions such as snow or rain. In addition there may be times when the trailer ball assembly cannot be removed with a wrench without great effort because the thread and nut connection has become rusted and/or corroded and cannot be disassembled.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved towing hitch which includes an easily detachable and interchangeable ball connector for tow bars on towing vehicles.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved ball hitch connector apparatus for towing vehicles, including a variety of different sized ball connectors that can be easily detached from the tow bar or bumper and replaced with a ball connector of another selected size.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved ball hitch connector that can be detached from the tow bar of a towing vehicle with the use of common tools usually available to the operator of a towing vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved ball hitch connector which prevents the placement of the trailer socket about the ball hitch unless the ball, forming part of the ball hitch connector has been properly attached.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved ball hitch connector apparatus that includes a base which is more or less permanently mounted on the tow bar of a vehicle and a ball connector that is easily attached to and detached from the base wherein a latch mechanism for properly attaching the ball connector to the base is positioned inside the ball connector when the ball connector is attached so that the latch mechanism is not exposed or subject to damage or wear from external parts or forces.